


Small decisions: The Secret Sharer

by ArcticPuzzle



Series: Destiny changes through small decisions [1]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Episode: s04e07 The Secret Sharer, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-10
Updated: 2020-06-10
Packaged: 2021-03-03 23:49:08
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,715
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24644365
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArcticPuzzle/pseuds/ArcticPuzzle
Summary: When Gaius is captured and interrogated by Alator, Agravaine uses the opportunity to accuse him of treason. We've all seen this episode. What if Merlin had insisted, had tried harder to convince Arthur?
Relationships: Gwaine & Merlin (Merlin), Gwen & Merlin (Merlin), Merlin & Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Series: Destiny changes through small decisions [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1781806
Comments: 10
Kudos: 112





	Small decisions: The Secret Sharer

**Author's Note:**

> This fic is part of a series in which someone actually says or does something they should've said or done in canon, and this changes the outcome of the episode.  
> Here it's The Secret Sharer, and the fic starts after Gaius has been kidnapped and accused of treason by Agravaine.

The shock was overwhelming. Agravaine had just left the throne room after drowning Arthur in compelling (and most certainly faked or planted) evidence of Gaius’ treachery. All these books of sorcery were supposed to belong to his mentor, yet Merlin knew they couldn’t. The only book of magic they’ve ever had was currently under his loose floorboard, well hidden with his Sidhe staff.

Agravaine was framing Gaius while the man was gone, probably kidnapped by Morgana. Merlin had to defend the Court Physician.

“How can you believe this?” he asked in a small voice.

“I know how you must feel. We questioned him. He's been consorting with sorcerers. He more or less admitted to it.” Arthur tried to explain his decision in a rational, neutral tone, as if he remained unaffected by the betrayal. Merlin knew him better than that.

“And that makes him a traitor.”

“Why run if you have nothing to hide?”

“He's given his life to this kingdom. He would never betray you,” Merlin continued.

“Then explain his actions.”

Merlin glanced at Arthur. His eyes were full of unshed tears. A scowl barred his features when he said “All right. They're lies. Gaius would never run off in the night.”

“Look, I know it's hard. But no break-ins were reported. His possessions are missing. A horse has been stolen.”

“He would not leave without saying goodbye to me,” Merlin insisted before averting his eyes. “Agravaine has made this story up.”

“I shall ignore that last comment,” Arthur sighed.

“Because he's your uncle, you will not see who he really is,” Merlin muttered.

“Merlin! I've had my heart broken enough already today. I don't want to lose another friend. Gaius condemned himself,” Arthur snapped, throwing a book on the table. “There's no more to be said. “

Merlin couldn’t believe it. Arthur had abandoned Gaius in a second, writing him off as a traitor even though nothing made sense in Agravaine’s little tale. He had to do something. He had to prove Arthur that he was wrong, that it was impossible. But the prince was pigheaded, stubborn in more ways than one, and he had made his decision. In this, he was much like his despicable father, Merlin noted. The warlock suspected that some of it was because he was secretly relieved that the supposed traitor wasn’t of his blood.

Merlin took a deep breath. Arthur didn’t want to lose another friend? Well, that had given the warlock an idea. The prince had decided nothing more needed to be said. Merlin retorted: “Oh, isn’t there?”

“Merlin…” Arthur said in a threatening voice.

Merlin continued, unperturbed. “Tell me, _my lord_ , you do realise I’m Gaius’ apprentice as well as his ward, don’t you?”

“Does this have a _point_ , Merlin?” Arthur snapped.

“Agravaine said he found these books in _our_ bookshelves,” Merlin explained, putting the emphasis on the _‘our’_. “After all these years as apprentice, I know Gaius’ books very well. I’ve read all of them,” Merlin continued. This was a fact, there was no questioning it.

“Merlin…”

“So if I tell you I’ve never seen these books in my life, does that make me a liar? I couldn’t not see them if they were there, could I?” He turned to face the king, cutting Arthur before he had the chance to reply. “If so, if these books mean that Gaius is a sorcerer and a traitor… Then I am one as well, am I not? Shall I fetch the guards then, my Lord?”

“Merlin!” Arthur yelled. “That is enough!”

“Yell as much as you want, but if Agravaine’s story is true, then I must be an accomplice of Gaius.”

“GUARDS!” Arthur yelled. “Escort Merlin to the dungeons. He is to leave when I judge he’s learnt to address his king with due respect.”

Merlin couldn’t believe his ears. Before leaving the room, he yelled over his shoulder: “I really thought you’d have more faith in me, Arthur.”  


* * *

One hour later, Gwen came to the dungeons to visit him.

“Merlin,” she called, her voice sweet and soft as usual.

He didn’t reply with words, only with his signature grin. Except the smile didn’t quite reach his eyes as it used to, and they were both aware of that.

Gwen started speaking. “Arthur told me what happened.” She had a steely glint in her eye. “I told him that he was a fool, and that you wouldn’t betray him.” She paused. “He said he’d have said the same about Gaius. But he doesn’t think you’re a traitor,” she added, seeing Merlin’s shoulders sag.

“It’s Agravaine,” Merlin said weakly. “He’s framed Gaius.”

“I know you said that,” Gwen answered. She looked suddenly uncomfortable.

A sudden thought crossed Merlin’s mind. “What is he doing anyway? Agravaine? Do you know?”

She squirmed, but didn’t say anything.

“Gwen! Please, I have to know!”

She gave in: “He’s trying to convince Arthur that you’re a traitor too.”

“What?!”

“He doesn’t know what you said to Arthur – or at least I haven’t heard him say anything about it. But he says that you had to know about Gaius, that you covered for him! I tried to reason with Arthur, but he won’t listen… Merlin, what can I do?”

Merlin took a deep breath. “Remind him who told him it was a bad idea to go through the Valley of the Fallen Kings. And that I almost died there.”

Gwen looked uncertain. “But you turned up completely healed two days later… Under an enchantment to… you know. I can’t tell him that. Agravaine would ask for your head,” Gwen objected.

“He never questioned it before.”

“His uncle wasn’t accusing you before.”

“The more it goes on, the less Agravaine makes sense. Surely Arthur can see that.”

“He doesn’t want to. Agravaine's his uncle. He trusts him more than anyone.”

“Yeah.” Merlin huffed. “More than me, apparently.”

Before they could discuss Agravaine, a rustling noise came from the corridor. A guard came towards them, a set of keys in his hands. “The king decided to release you,” he said in a gruff voice. He opened the door and grabbed Merlin’s arm, throwing him out of the cell not too gently.

Gwen followed him out of the dungeons, a worried expression on her face. She finally asked “Are you going to talk to him?”

“No,” Merlin replied. “That wouldn’t do anything. I need to find where Agravaine has taken Gaius. And then rescue him.”

“You’re going to search his chambers.”

Merlin turned towards Gwen, a devilish grin on his face. He nodded twice.

“Can I help you?” Gwen asked.

“Maybe you can keep Agravaine busy for me?”

“Got it! Good luck, Merlin!” she said, leaving in a corridor.  


* * *

Merlin went straight to Agravaine’s chambers. He knocked twice and opened the door when no answer came.

“Lord Agravaine?”

No answer.

He slipped in the room, closing the door behind him. He started rifling through Agravaine’s stuff, and quickly found a box containing books of sorcery similar to those Agravaine had presented as ‘evidence’. Judging by how much room was left in the box, the evidence books probably came from it too. It was nice to know how Gaius had been framed, but it wouldn’t tell Merlin where he had been taken. After a few moments of research, he found Agravaine’s boots. They were caked in a rust-coloured mud. Intrigued, he took a sample. He would have to find out where the reddish mud could come from, and hope Gaius would be there. He rubbed the boot, erasing the trace of his finger, and put the book box back in its place. Silently, he slipped through the corridor. Hopefully, no one had seen him.

When he reached Gaius’ appartments, Gwen and Gwaine were both there. Behind the door, he overheard Gwen say “… searching Agravaine’s chambers. He’s certain Gaius has been framed.”

Gwaine answered “I knew the man was shifty. Not much of a surprise, eh?”

Merlin opened the door, startling Gwen. He asked them “What are you doing in here?”

Gwaine answered “Got bored of playing soldiers. I thought I'd come and see how you were.”

“Gwen told you about Agravaine?”

The maid answered for him. “Yes, Merlin. Gwaine wants to help.”

Merlin hummed non-committally, but showed him his mud sample anyway. “Have you seen this anywhere? Red mud?”

“Maybe. Let me see,” Gwaine said, getting closer. He brushed the mud from Merlin’s thumb and examined it, smelled it.

“That's iron ore. Where'd you find this?”

“That doesn't matter. Does it help us? Can it tell us where Gaius is?”

“Iron ore's pretty rare in Camelot. In fact, I've only seen it once, on a patrol.”

“Where?” Merlin pressed on.

“Er...ridge of Kemeray. They've been hewing iron from rocks there for hundreds of years.”

Gwen chimed in. “Was this in Agravaine’s chambers?”

Merlin threw a look at Gwaine. “Yes, along with books of sorcery. The same kind as those he said were here,” he said, gesturing at the bookshelves on the back wall. “Gwen, while I go rescue Gaius, do you mind telling Arthur about these?”

“I’m not sure, Merlin. He may not believe me. What do I say if he asks how I know?”

“Please, Gwen. Someone needs to warn him. He listens to you.” Merlin got up and straightened his back, popping a few joints. He took a step towards the door.

Gwaine called him. “Where you going, mate?”

“I’m rescuing Gaius.”

“I’m coming with you.”

Merlin nodded to Gwaine. The two of them left the room, leaving Gwen to deal with Arthur and his slimy, smarmy uncle.  


* * *

A few hours later, Gwaine and Merlin arrived at the ridge of Kemeray. No one had seen them leave the castle on a rescue mission. As soon as they entered the mines, Merlin pointed the soil under their feet to Gwaine, and whispered: “I think that’s the same kind of mud I’ve seen on Agravaine’s boots.”

In the same tone, Gwaine replied: “Means we’re getting close. Gaius must be somewhere near. We could split up, cover more ground.”

“If you find Gaius, don’t wait for me.”

Merlin chose the left path, and progressed through the tunnels with caution. After several turns, he arrived at a dead end: a large hall in the mine, with wooden pillars supporting the ceiling. He took a few minutes to explore the room for clues about Gaius’ whereabouts, but there was nothing of interest between the large boulders lying on the ground. He turned back, ready to explore another part of the mine, but before he could leave the hall, a man appeared at the only entrance.

He was bald, with bushy eyebrows, piercing blue eyes, and strange dots marking his neck. He wore a loose bluish cloak, clearly not standard clothing. The staff in his hand definitely looked magical. Merlin stopped in his tracks. “Who are you?”

The man didn’t answer. Instead, he took a battle stance, pointing his staff towards Merlin.

Merlin lifted his palms in a peaceful gesture. “I’m Merlin. Who are you? Did you take Gaius?”

Hearing this, the other man startled. “Mer… lin?” He dropped to the ground, kneeling. “My lord.”

Merlin was baffled by his explanation. “I am Alator of the Catha. I am honoured to be at your service.”

“At my service?”

Alator nodded. “I understand the burden you carry. I have lived with it all my life. I have been shunned, persecuted, and sometimes even hunted in every corner of the five kingdoms. I understand what that feels like. You're not alone. From what Gaius told me, I do not have your great powers, Merlin, but I share your hopes. For I, and others like me, have dreamt of the world you seek to build. And we would gladly give our lives to help you do it.”

Having said that, Alator stood up and left.

Confused by the strange man’s words, Merlin left too.

Alator was nowhere in the tunnels. Merlin walked through the corridors again, trying to find Gaius, when he heard Gwaine call him. Following Gwaine’s voice, he arrived in a cave where the knight was standing next to…

“Gaius!” Merlin shouted.

The physician was lying, immobile, on a large rock slab. His eyes were closed, and Merlin couldn’t see his chest move. His brow was covered in dried sweat, and his complexion was pale, too pale. Merlin looked at Gwaine, despair pooling in his chest.

“He’s alive! Breathing… but barely,” Gwaine explained.

“We need to take him out of here. I think I met his kidnapper. He escaped,” Merlin said, putting an arm under Gaius’ shoulder and trying to lift him.

“Let me help.”

Together, they took Gaius to their horses. The old man didn’t even open an eye.

Merlin attached Gaius to Gwaine’s stallion. His own mare wouldn’t have been able to transport the two of them. “Let’s go home. Gaius needs rest.”  


* * *

Gwaine and Merlin reached Camelot well after dawn. On the stairway of the castle, Agravaine was standing, apparently waiting for them. He yelled “Guards! Arrest the traitors!”

Gwaine tried to protest, but a guard threatened him with a sword and he decided to be quiet for once.

The guards brought them to the dungeons, along with Gaius. They stripped Gwaine of his armour and weapons before throwing him and Merlin in a cell. Afterwards, Merlin lost sight of the old physician. He could only hope that they had left him in another cell instead of summarily executing him on the spot.

Gwaine paced in the cells like a madman, muttering curses and promising hell to Arthur and Agravaine.

Merlin, on the other hand, was paralysed by his fear for his mentor. He called: “Gwaine?”

The knight stopped pacing and faced Merlin. “Don’t worry, mate. We’ll get out of here. The princess can’t seriously think you’re a traitor.”

“He thought Gaius was a traitor,” Merlin reminded him in a dark tone.

“I was with you. I can confirm what you said about Gaius. The princess should believe the two of us. He does believe my tavern tales.”

Merlin finally smiled at the knight. “Aren’t these the absolute truth?” he deadpanned.

Gwaine came closer, as if he was sharing a secret. “Not a single one is true, my friend.”

Merlin laughed and went to the small window above their heads, trying to see outside. He then turned his back against the wall, his face pale, his limbs shaking.

“Are you alright?” Gwaine asked.

Merlin shook his head.

Outside, in the courtyard, a pyre was being built.  


* * *

After what seemed like hours, Arthur arrived at the door of their cell. Merlin stared at him, a flinty glint in the eyes. In a neutral tone, Arthur ordered: “Explain yourself.”

The question was unexpected. “What?” Merlin asked.

“You left the castle. What for?”

Gwaine chimed in. “We found Gaius. He'd been kidnapped.”

Arthur stared at Gwaine, a mixture of emotions crossing his face.

“He's in a bad way. In the cell, just outside of the corridor,” Gwaine continued. “Or maybe he’s already dead, since you left him here to rot for… no reason?”

Arthur looked confused. Merlin realised he didn’t know. “What did Agravaine tell you?”

Hesitating, Arthur replied “That you were a traitor too, that you had left to join Gaius, and that you had been captured with him, and Gwaine?”

“We found him, badly injured, in the ridge of Kemeray. We brought him back, and Agravaine had us arrested at the main gates of the castle. If we’re traitors, why would we come back?”

Arthur was still unsure. “How on earth did you know he was there?”

Once again, Gwaine replied for Merlin. “Iron dirt on Agravaine’s boots. Went to the only iron mine of Camelot, spotted the same dirt, found Gaius too.”

“On Agravaine’s boots?”

“Can’t explain that either.”

Arthur sighed. “Let’s get you out of here. We’ll heal Gaius.”  


* * *

Agravaine was standing next to Gaius’ cot “It seems I misjudged Gaius. Merlin was right all along.”

Not looking at him, Arthur answered “We’re lucky he found him.”

“Indeed. If it hadn't been for the tenacity of your boy, Gaius would be dead,” Agravaine commented. “We both owe Gaius and Merlin an apology, my lord.”

Arthur watched him leave, a sad expression on his face.

Agravaine was the traitor.


End file.
